Star Charge

______No matter where I go, I always seem to rub eyeballs with the kindest of strangers.  From hip young college kids to wizened gentlefolk with wrinkles clawing the corners of their smiling eyes, I've acquainted myself with a good bunch of people around town.

______I take myself on occasional me-dates to Jason's Deli to read and study, for example, 'cause I'm rather excellent at dating myself.  Apparently, I have some unique habits that the manager has already taken note of, such as securing myself a booth by fiercely slamming a book on it facedown, eating my salad greens before digging into the chicken and cranberries and pumpkin seeds, and never touching the salad dressing.

______I also like to put my waiting number upside down to keep the servers on their toes.

______I'm quite cruel, really.





______One busy afternoon, the manager joked with me, saying, "Staking your territory again?" as I rushed by him to smash my book on the last open booth.  I shot him the whites of my teeth and saluted with two fingers, then immediately hopped my way toward the restaurant's bustling line of hungry people.  My booth in tact, I felt at ease and was ready to place my usual order.

______When you frequent the same places, I guess it's a given that you'll cultivate common ground with a soul or two.  The workers usually pique interest in my reading material, and one of them even asked me how long it's going to take me to get through the first Game of Thrones book... I'm still picking my way through it, conquering it chapter by chapter, even though it's taken me a month to get halfway.

______Soon.



Top: Charlotte Russe
Skirt: Know Style
Booties: Chelsea Crew
Chevron earrings: Charming Charlie
Spike bracelet: c/o Maxnina
ET pin: I shit you not, one day it just appeared in my ring box